NEW YORK, October 13 2016-Last year, Governments adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and embedded its objectives in the 2030 Development Agenda. Today, we launch the “Sendai Seven Campaign: Seven Targets, Seven Years”, which highlights how we can all contribute to reducing disaster losses. This year’s target is reducing loss of life.

DAR ES SALAAM,October 4, 2016-The United Nations in Tanzania will join the Government of Tanzania in commemorating the National Youth week in Simiyu region in Western Tanzania from the 8th to the 14th of October, 2016.Part of the activities to be conducted include an exhibition and training for 400 youths around the Sustainable Development Goals on the 13th of October.

BRUSSELS, 15 June 2016- “Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group,
Distinguished Advisory Board Members,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honoured to be with you again, and I thank you for your commitment and leadership.I also thank our generous hosts, the European Commission, represented today by the Commissioner in charge of International Cooperation and Development, His Excellency Mr. Neven Mimica. It has been half a decade since we launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative. Continue reading →

23 april 2016, New York: Today, the governments of the world made history – just as they did last December in Paris at COP21.

With their signatures today, governments have made a covenant with the future.

The children who were with us this morning reminded us of our responsibility to them and to future generations.

The words they wore on their shirts said it clearly: “your promise, our future”.

Today’s signing is a vote of confidence in a new approach to climate change.

It is imperative this strong political momentum continues to grow.

If all the countries that have signed here today join the Agreement at the national level, the world will have met the legal requirement for the Paris Agreement to enter into force — 55 countries accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

I will do everything I can to help us reach this goal.

This afternoon I was pleased to hear several large emitter countries announce they will ratify in 2016.

I encourage all countries to raise their level of ambition.

I urge world leaders to continue to provide direct political oversight and guidance.

And I will look to civil society and the world’s young people to hold Governments to account for the promises they made today.

This covenant with the future is a covenant with you. Hold them to it.

Excellencies,

It has been a long journey to this moment – and that journey still continues.

When I look out at the horizon, I see, more clearly than ever, the outlines of a new and better world.

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is a major step forward for people and the planet.

The World Humanitarian Summit I am convening in Istanbul, Turkey on May 23rd and 24th will be a critical opportunity to enhance our support to the most vulnerable and reaffirm our common humanity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let us continue to build on the historic progress of today – and move swiftly, with courage and determination, to usher in the new era we know can be ours.

22 April 2016, New York: In Paris last December, countries embraced the spirit of multilateralism and showed how to work together to meet a common threat.

Today marks the next step in our shared journey to meet the climate challenge.

I warmly congratulate the 15 Parties that have deposited their instruments of ratification with the United Nations today and I am very much grateful. And I really want to make a point of recognizing each [of them] by name – this is what I have been doing for the third time [today]. I was told by our communication expert [that] when you really have a message to deliver, repeat it all the time! Repeat it, so that when your name is not included in the 15 then you may be motivated or even provoked to work, work even harder.

Out of my gratitude, I would like to again list the names: Barbados, Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Nauru, Palau, Palestine, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Somalia and Tuvalu. I am very much grateful for all your very active decisive actions. Many of you are on the frontlines of climate impacts – and today you are showing that you are also on the frontlines of global leadership.

I also congratulate those countries that have indicated that they intend to join the Paris Agreement this year, within this year.

I encourage all countries to move forward quickly with their own domestic processes to accept and ratify the Paris Agreement. As you are well aware, we need at least 55 countries and 55 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. Having 55 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions may be a little bit shorter and easier if United States and China – they ratify or join then it will add to almost 40 per cent. But at least we need 55 countries. That means we need to have a universality of this, of course 55 is not universality. One hundred and seventy-five countries is quite close to universality. And it is a great commitment of Parties to UNFCCC. I call on the countries gathered here to use this opportunity to announce your timeline for joining the Agreement as soon as possible.

It is imperative that the strong political momentum continues to build as the spirit of Paris is still continuing. I will do all that I can this year to ensure that the Paris Agreement enters into force as soon as possible.

Again, thank you very much Mr. Prime Minister for your initiative of convening this meeting for early ratifiers. This is a great opportunity to impress upon the importance for early action.